Zoflora: Past, Present and Future
Zoflora: Past, Present and Future
Believe it or not, Zoflora turns 100 next year! Over the past 99 years, we’ve come a long way. From our humble beginnings in Yorkshire to the UK’s number one disinfectant brand. We have seen new bottles, new packaging and A LOT of new fragrances, but 2021 is a year for even bigger changes. Same great product, but with a brand new look!
Before we share our exciting changes, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane to where it all started in 1922.
Let’s go back to the beginning
It all started in Huddersfield when business partners Nathan Thornton and Philip Ross founded Thornton and Ross. Back then, there was no such thing as a nice-smelling disinfectant. Most people used carbolic acid to kill germs in their homes and workplaces, but it gave off a horrible odour. This is where Nathan Thornton spotted a gap in the market. A highly effective disinfectant, that killed viruses and bacteria but also smelled good enough to use in homes. So he developed Zoflora! A powerful disinfectant that had twice the germ-killing power of carbolic acid, but was blended with beautiful fragrance oils that were extracted from real flowers.
Spreading the word
Nathan Thornton and Philip Ross had created this wonderful disinfectant, but they needed to get it into the hands of the public. They were eager to spread the word, so Mr Thornton took it on tour. He put Zoflora in a large brass pressure sprayer, and set off around the country marketing his invention. Zoflora was originally developed to kill germs and eliminate odours in public spaces like dance halls and cinemas. Once people smelled Thornton and Ross’ beautiful creation, they wanted to use it in their homes too!
“We want more”
As the demand for Zoflora increased, Thornton and Ross created smaller bottles for domestic use and the classic was born. It came in a small 2fl oz, glass bottle and was only available at chemists for the price of three shillings. It was sold along with a larger spray bottle so that it could be spritzed around the home, much like today’s handy trigger spray bottle. But the public wanted more, so they made Zoflora available in a wide range of fragrances and sizes, with some of the first fragrances being Bouquet and Lavender, which have stood the test of time and are still available today!
Where Zoflora is today
These days, there are over 40 different fragrances available (more to come soon!) and an ever-growing online cleaning community. Zoflora is now found in the cupboards of 1 in 5 households in the UK. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of home hygiene, and we are proud to help families and businesses protect each other during these difficult times.
After almost 100 years of protecting households,, and a number of different packaging styles and logos, we felt it was the time to give our brand a refresh to bring it into the 21st century...
Our new look
The Zoflora team have been working hard to create a new chapter for the brand, with a new logo, a website refresh and beautiful new packaging, whilst staying true to the beautiful fragrance we’ve all come to know and love.
Our new packs will be hitting supermarket shelves in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled! All of your favourite fragrances are still available in their original packaging online on our website, but we have also added an exclusive new pack bundle if you want to get your hands on our new packs even quicker. If you find a new pack on the shelf, be sure to take a photo and share it with us. Tag us @LoveZoflora on Instagram and Facebook.